Protector



jufiy 5, 19. H. c. STERNBERG PROTECTOR Filed March 51 1957 INVENTOR HOW/1RD C. 5TER/vBE/eq ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to protectors, and more especially it relates to body protectors such as commonly are Worn by athletes for protection to the shoulders, elbows, and knees.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide an improved knee pad that may be Worn Without binding or other discomfort; that will not move out of place While in use; that is naturally shaped to fit the knee of the wearer; and that is inherently resilient longitudinally so as to flex freely and thus to yield to movements of the wearers limb. Other objects will be manifest as the specification proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the protector, in its preferred form, in applied position upon the knee of the user; 7

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof,'on a larger scale, parts being broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a section, on a larger scale, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a resilient element of the protector structure.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown a complete protector comprising a frontpiece or knee pad III, a. retaining strap II, and a back piece I2. The knee pad I0 is of general scoop shape, that is, its upper portion is concavo-convex both longitudinally and transversely, its lower portion being concave-convex only in a transverse direction. It is designed to fit snugly over the knee as shown, being held in place by the strap II that encircles the leg below the knee and above the calf, the back piece I2 being mounted upon said strap.

The outer or convex surface of the knee pad ID consists of pliable leather, and is constructed of two pieces or blanks of leather I4, I4 that are stitched together along one margin of each piece to form a seam I5, said margin being arcuate in part so as to impart a natural concavo-convex shape to the assembled leather parts. The leather pieces I4'are slit at I6, I6 to permit the strap to be threaded therethrough, in a direction transversely of the seam I5. Upon the inner or concave side of the seam I5 is positioned a resilient stiffening member or stay N that may be of bone or celluloid, but preferably is of spring steel in strip or flat form. As is shown most clearly in Fig. 4, the member I! is arcuate in part and thus conforms to the shape of the assembled leather parts I4. The member I1 is held securely in place by a leather strip I8 that overlies said member I! and is stitched to the leather parts I4.

The concave side of the pad is faced with sheepskin 26 with the fleece side exposed so as to be next to the skin of the wearer, the sheepskin preferably being adhered to the leather I4. The peripheral margin of the pad has a binder 2| of leather or cloth stitched thereto, which binder covers the exposed edges of the leather I4 and sheepskin 20, and gives the pad a finished appearance.

Like the knee pad ID, the back piece I2 may be constructed of a single piece of leather that is lined with sheepskin, and is suitably slit to receive the strap I I. The back piece prevents the strap from chafing the leg.

Because of the natural scoop shape of the protector, it closely hugs the knee of the wearer and does not slip down even during the most violent exercise. Because of the natural tendency of the pad to stay in position, but one attaching strap is required, and freedom of flexure of the knee is not hampered. The stay I! normally retains the pad in its preferred shape, but does not hamper fiexure of the pad incidental to normal use thereof. The protector is light in weight and achieves the other objects set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 35

1. A knee protector comprising a flexible padded structure that is longitudinally arcuate in a portion, at least, of its structure, and a resilient, longitudinally arcuate stay in said structure extending longitudinally thereof and yieldingly maintaining the longitudinally arcuate shape thereof.

2. A knee protector comprising a flexible padded structure that is longitudinally and transversely arcuate in the portion thereof that is disposed above the knee and transversely arcuate in the portion that is disposed below the knee, and a resilient longitudinally extending stay positioned centrally within said structure, said stay being arcuate in the region thereof that is disposed above the knee.

HOWARD C. STERNBERG. 

